Equalizer for street-railway cars



(No Model.)

M E MEEK EQUALIZER FOR STREET RAILWAY was.

No. 562,406. Patented June 23, 1896.

W M w WITNESSES M. PHOTOUTHQWASIHNGTONDL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATHEW E. MEEK, or CANTON, orno.

EQUALIZER FOR STREET-RAILWAY CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,406, dated June 23, 1896.

Application filed November 18, 1895. Serial No. 569,265. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHEW E. MEEK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Equalizers for Street-Railway Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in supporting and equalizing the weight of street-car bodies and their load on the truck; and it consists in providing equalizing-bars and horizontally-disposed springs at the ends of the bars, intermediate the axles, whereby a part or the whole of the burden may be supported.

With these ends in view my invention consists of certain features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of a car-truck, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on a line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on a line .2 z of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a bracket forming a support for the equalizing-bar and vertical spring. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the supporting and equalizing spring.

' In the drawings, numeral 1 indicates the wheel of the car, and 2 vertical supportingsprings, and 3 the platform-timbe1n The numeral 4 designates the side bar, connected withthe truck in any ordinary or suitable manner. Secured to these side bars 4: is a bracket 5, consisting of the curved plates 6, the standards 7, and the apertured spring sockets 8, through which pass bolts 9. Formed in the said bracket is an upwardly-extending lug 10, forming a way to receive the equalizing-bar 12. The said standard and lug are formed with apertures through which passes a bolt 13, which serves as a pivot for the sections of the equalizing-bar. The lugs 10 may be cast with and form a part of the axle journal-box, as shown in Fig. 2. There are two of these brackets at each end of the truck, one on each side, to which are pivotally secured the equalizing-bars 12, the outer ends of which are connected to the platform 3 by a link, as 20, pivotally secured to bracket 21, the weight of car and its load being supported wholly or in part 011 the bars 12, as the case may be.

The inner ends of the bars 12, secured in operative position by a coiled spring 15, placed between the ends thereof, and to which they are secured. For the purposes of this application, I have shown a coiled spring inclosed between end plates 22 by links 23.

In operation, as either end of the car is de pressed, the outer end of the equalizing-bar will be pressed down, which in turn will raise the inner end of the same bar and the spring, which will raise the inner end of the other bar and depress the outer end. In other words, the burden of one end of the car or platform will be equalized by a transmission of a portion through the bars and spring 15 to the other end. It will be noticed that any upward or downward movement of the inner ends of the equalizing-bars will compress the spring. Consequently a portion of the load is always borne by the horizontallycompressed springs 15, thus allowing the springs 2 to be made very light'or soft; or, if preferred, the springs 2 may be omitted, allowin g the whole weight to be carried by the side or equalizing springs 15, thus equalizing the load on the two ends of the truck, and preventing the longitudinal rocking ofthe body of the car.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination in a car-truck of platform and side bars, of the equalizing-bars,

the intermediate link by which the equalizing-bars are connected to the platform, the inner ends of said bars, connected by a horizontally disposed spring, the brackets secured to the side bars, and provided with lugs to which the equalizing-bars are pivotally secured, and the vertical springs, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a car-truck, of the side bars and platform, the brackets and equalizing bars pivoted thereto, vertical springs, 2, and the horizontally disposed spring, 15, connected to the inner ends of the equalizing-bars by the plates, 22, and links, 23, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of October, A. D. 1895.

MATHEW" E. MEEK. Witnesses W. K. MILLER, Burn? A. MILLER. 

